Transforming Media Landscapes

As a digital marketing agency, we partner with our clients to create an omnichannel marketing and advertising experience while ensuring we meet the target audience where they are. This includes both traditional advertising options, such as creating ads for radio and television, as well as advertisements for social media and streaming services such as Facebook, connected TV and Pandora.

Over the last decade, there has been a significant shift in advertising with differences between the more traditional and the more modern. Both have merits, but both also have different audiences, benefits and downsides, so it is crucial to adapt accordingly.

Navigating an Evolving Landscape

As it turns out, video did not kill the radio star. Well, not exactly.

The first radio advertisement aired in 1922, making the advertising platform over 100 years old. From live reads to jingles to testimonials – radio ads have continued to evolve with the times and digital era, now lending themselves nicely to music streaming platforms like Pandora and Spotify, as well as podcasts. The on-the-go essence of radio ads has never changed. Whether people are listening in their cars, on their laptops or on a downloaded episode while flying to a new destination, these ads continue to reach niche audiences and remain an excellent way to reach specific target audiences. By focusing on select audiences and short creation cycles, we can reduce costs and realize ROI almost immediately.

As far as television goes, it also remains a staple in advertising. Still, we have seen a significant shift in how people consume TV ads. For example, 81% of US adults 65 and older regularly watch broadcast TV. In comparison, only 34% of viewers aged 18-29 years old watch television and instead consume media via streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube TV, Peacock and more.

Not only does age impact these two forms of media, but lifestyle as well. With traditional media, we anticipate viewers and consumers will be watching or listening to a specific program at a particular time. This gives marketing professionals opportunities to target these consumers with years of data to rely on. Viewers who watch the news at 11pm vs. 6am have different lifestyles and needs. The same goes for those who listen to the radio while commuting vs. those who work from home and have Sirus XM on in the background.

Pros & Cons of Media Types

Pros of Traditional Media:

• Traditional media effectively captures a large audience size, typically an older demographic making. This makes it a good fit if that is your intended audience.
• There is a prestige to advertising on these traditional platforms, helping you gain credibility. AKA, if they are on TV or the radio, they must vetted and, therefore, good.

Cons of Traditional Media:

• Rates are inflated due to declining audiences. When you buy ad space based on historical data, which may or may not be the actual audience size when the commercial airs, This can make it expensive to reach the type of frequency you need given the audience size.
• Radio still uses diaries in certain markets, making your audience an educated guess rather than an accurate data point.

Pros of Streaming Media:

• Streaming audiences skew younger, meaning if your audience is best for a crowd between the ages of 18-35, it is a great option.
• With streaming, viewers and listeners can tune in anytime, from anywhere. This changes our goals and requires more broad-based and out-of-the-box advertising. You can target your audiences by geographic area, age, income level and other demographics at a granular level.
• Your costs are more efficient because you are targeting specific audiences. You are only charged if an impression is served. Frequency is also more realistically calculated.

Cons of Streaming Media:

• While there are more options to select from, this can result in a smaller audience. When you narrow down your audience based on these hyper-specific details, you will reach a much smaller crowd.
• Rates increase as you segment the audience. If you target your exact audience, there is a chance it will get more and more expensive.
• Because there are so many different streaming platforms available today, reaching enough of the market to see a significant ROI is becoming more challenging.

Adaptation is Key

Picking one over the other is not the answer. Instead, companies can and should adapt their messaging for these two differing advertising methodologies. Streaming continues to grow in popularity, but we have also seen consumers express frustrations with the growing prices of streaming and the need to have every streaming service on the market. There is a balance between streaming and traditional media, and we are experiencing the height of it.

Here at Web Tech Fusion, we believe in first understanding your audience and seeking out opportunities for optimal audience engagement as well as interactive social media avenues. We also offer tailored strategies and campaigns to apply data and reach your target audience in the most cost-effective way.

We know that what works for some does not work for all. We will tailor our plan and creative approach to align best with your business, customers and specific platforms. This also allows us to focus on results by setting up KPIs for each platform and having specific call-to-actions within your messaging. Whether your ad is shared on a local radio station or in between a binge-watch of your customer’s favorite show, your message will be received loud and clear.